• Programming Note: The Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals meet again tonight at 6:05 pm EDT in Viera, Florida's Space Coast Stadium in a Grapefruit League game that will be broadcast live on MASN and 106.7 the FAN in DC. MLB.tv is carrying both the home and away feed. Tom Gorzelanny will be on the mound for the Nats against the Cards' Kyle Lohse.
• Nats vs Cards: "But a Major League Baseball source Thursday said the umpires working the game will be advised as to what happened and both teams will be warned before the game that further tomfoolery will not be tolerated." - Cards, Nats will be warned tonight before Round Two RIck Hummel St. Luouis Post-Dispatch
• LINKS AND LINKS AND...
• NATSBEAT:
• Twitter: @NationalsPR: "The Nationals today signed LHP Oliver Perez to a minor-league contract. Perez will report to the Nationals’ minor-league camp."
• "Maybe the best reason for Werth batting second is that Rick Ankiel won’t have to." - "An advantage of Jayson Werth batting second" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "If Morgan's not the leadoff hitter, there's a good chance Ian Desmond will be." - "Looking for a pure leadoff hitter? They're not easy to find" - Ben Goessling, MASN
• "'Basically the plan was, once it felt good, give it another week just to be extra careful,' Zimmerman said." - "Zimmerman ready to return" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider
• NatsTown: "Batting second...Jayson Werth? OK this is very interesting." - Harper, Nationals Baseball
• "'I can dedicate everything I have to this,' McGeary said Wednesday, standing outside the Nationals’ minor league complex. "Not that I didn’t give my all before. But there’s nothing else out there right now except baseball. It’s a great feeling.'" - "Stanford degree in hand, Jack McGeary can focus on baseball" - Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post
• "I suppose you've never heard of Tom McAvoy." - "Tom McAvoy, 1936-2011" - Phil Wood, MASN
• NatsTown: "First Mets fans rejoiced Oliver Perez was no longer their problem (they really don’t care about the salary – not their money). Then they got to point and laugh at the Nats fans – "haha!" /Nelson." - "Brand Loyalty" MissChatter : The Chatter Files
• "Fox tested its new Ump-Cam during Thursday's Tigers-Nationals exhibition on Fox Sports Detroit, and the grade is: incomplete. The mini-camera, mounted on plate umpire Joe West's mask, lasted less than a half-inning before it was on the fritz." - "Ticker: Ump-Cam is pretty nice, when it works" - Steve Schrader, Detroit Free Press | freep.com
• NatsTown: "'Has this contract changed people's opinions of you?' Werth, 'Well, I guess you would have to ask other people.' Beautiful." - "Review: MLBN Comes to Viera" - Mac, Capitol Baseball
• "'With two and three being Werth and Zimmerman, they're both pretty good on-base percentage guys, so you feel like that's the best chance for us to get at least one baserunner, maybe two,' Riggleman said." - "Riggleman juggles batting order" - Bill Ladson, MLB.com
• NatsTown: "Nats Show Some Wowdy Webel Sniggewing Behaviour" - DangerNat, Nationals Inquisition
• SharkNatsTown: "SHARK TRACKER" - Sharkadina, Street Shark: Roger Bernadina's Unofficial Blog
• "'We're going to do all we can to keep the Nationals as part of the Brevard community. That's the first job,' [Brevard County Manager Howard] Tipton said." - "Brevard County manager's mission: Keep Washington Nationals in Viera" Rick Neale, FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com
• NatsTown: "Did Jordan Zimmermann top out at 98 last night?" - The Nationals Enquirer
• Audio: "Jim Riggleman will trust his players, not your stats, thanks very much." - "MASN radio ads defend small ball, reject stats" - Dan Steinberg, DC Sports Bog - The Washington Post
• "The Tigers had a couple of chances against Washington's impressive right-hander, Jordan Zimmermann." - "Rick Porcello struggles in Tigers' 5-2 loss to Nationals" - Lynn Henning and Tom Gage, The Detroit News
• Twitter: Joe Posnanski, SI.com (@JPosnanski): "When I think N.Y. based blogger Murray Chass has hit rock bottom, he manages to sink lower. Sad. He was once a fine reporter."
• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama): "When we reach beyond the confines of narrow self-interest, our hearts become filled with strength."
• NatsTown: "Nationals Decide To Bat Jayson Werth Second - Ryan Zimmerman Will Benefit" - Will Yoder, The Nats Blog
• NL EAST:
• Mets: "Terry Collins Rather Be Tortured Than Talk to Francesa" - Mike Silva, New York Baseball Digest
• Mets: The Mets' 23-year-old outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis may not have finished 2010 the way he wanted, but his tools and attitude have earned him a place among the top ten prospects for the team. Who joins him on the list? - Mets outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis ranks among the top ten team prospects" - Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, mets.com: News
• Braves: "Beachy Makes Braves Rotation" - Tommy Rancel, FanGraphs Baseball
• Marlins: Manager Edwin Rodriguez had hoped today would be the first day all spring that the Marlins’ three projected starting outfielders played in a game together." - "Dewayne Wise, not Chris Coghlan, starting in center field today for Florida Marlins" - Joe Capozzi, Fish Tank blog: Florida Marlins | The Palm Beach Post
• Phillies: "'Opening day — I won't be ready based on what they're telling me,' [Brad] Lidge said Friday." - "Phillies Closer Lidge Likely to Start Season on DL" - AP, NYTimes.com